Gourmet Gaming

Chapter 1125

Minhyuk followed Rundalk’s advice and exchanged his fragments for the Supreme Treasure Box. Then, not long after, Rundalk walked hand in hand with Bellamy and approached him.

With a determined look, Rundalk bowed politely and said, “I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

“It’s nothing. It was just a deal between us.”

It was the truth. Rundalk had told Minhyuk that he would give him one of his abilities and even use his power as the king of the Land of the Leaders to grow his Ingredient Brimming with Potential if he could help him meet his daughter.

But Rundalk was talking about something else.

“According to the legends, the Asteroid Fragments are very hard to come by. You must have spent a lot of fragments when you used the Life Asteroid to revive me...”

That was when Minhyuk realized that Rundalk could not see the Asteroid Fragment’s transaction details. Unlike what Rundalk thought, Minhyuk exchanged the “All Supreme Asteroids” and used 20,000 Asteroid Fragments for it. So, he did not spend any fragments specifically for that.

But, of course, Minhyuk would not miss this opportunity. His eyes suddenly grew red.

“No, it’s nothing. Even though I used around 30,000 fragments, it’s fine as long as Sir Rundalk and Bellamy get reunited.”

“...”

“If the two of you did not get to meet each other, then my heart would have been broken.”

Tears eventually fell from Minhyuk’s eyes.

When Bellamy saw him cry, she unknowingly grabbed her father’s collar while saying, “D-daddy... That uncle is a nice guy.”

Warmth flooded Rundalk’s chest when he saw him like that. Minhyuk was willing to use those 30,000 valuable fragments just so he could let him meet his daughter.

Then, Minhyuk held Rundalk’s hand and said, “From now on, all you need to do is to live happily with each other.”

Rundalk’s eyes grew misty when he heard those words. However, there were other reasons why he approached Minhyuk.

“I don’t know how to go to a place other than the Land of the Leaders. And I can’t raise Bellamy here in the Land of the Leaders. I’m very sorry but I want to ask you a favor.”

Rundalk looked genuinely sorry.

“If you can find a way to make it possible, then I will definitely repay you to the best of my abilities.”

Minhyuk immediately recalled one of the items that he could exchange for asteroid fragments. It was none other than the Pandemonium’s Trade. The Pandemonium’s Trade was literally an item that would allow him to make a deal with the master of Pandemonium, Chaos.

“It’s not as if there’s no way out for you.”

“R-really?” Rundalk asked, a sparkle appearing in his eyes. However, worry was also evident. He knew that Minhyuk would have to use his precious fragments for their sake once again.

“But I want to see the two of you happy, so I’ll exchange for it.”

“How many fragments do you need to exchange for it?”

[Pandemonium’s Trade. Required Asteroid Fragments: 4,000.]

“It would need 40,000 fragments.”

“...!”

Forty thousand fragments was a huge amount, and Rundalk knew how hard Minhyuk worked to obtain that many fragments.

But Minhyuk smiled softly at him and said, “The price is quite cheap compared to the happiness that the two of you will have in the future.”

Minhyuk exchanged for the item right away. Rundalk was deeply moved by Minhyuk's generosity. He vowed to do his best to repay the favor and kindness they had received from him.

After exchanging for the Pandemonium’s Trade, Minhyuk immediately called for Chaos.

‘Lord Chaos, let’s make a deal. Let me take Rundalk out of the Land of the Leaders.’

Minhyuk said he would need 40,000 fragments even though all he needed to exchange for the item was 4,000. This was mainly because he knew using Pandemonium’s Trade would require a price. After all, the word “trade” was in the name itself. There was a high chance that Chaos would demand more fragments as a part of their deal.

But the answer that Minhyuk received was very unexpected.

[In the first place, Rundalk would be given the chance to live sixty years of life as a human being once he meets Bellamy.]

“...!”

Minhyuk was surprised. However, he did not show any of it on his face.

That was right. Unlike Ruba, Chaos believed that Rundalk had already paid more than enough for the sin that he had committed. In other words, Minhyuk did not need to pay anything to make a deal.

Minhyuk, who had closed the deal that was not a deal with Chaos, turned to Rundalk and said, “Sir Rundalk, you can now live for sixty years as a human being. I have struck an excellent deal with Pandemonium.”

Rundalk was deeply moved.

Then, Minhyuk added, “I would also like to extend an invitation to you, Sir Rundalk, and Bellamy. It would be nice if you would come to my empire. I’ll give you a decent house and a good position where you two can live together. Now, the only thing you two must do is live happily.”

This was Minhyuk’s show of sincerity. He truly hoped that the two of them would be able to live happily for the rest of their lives. Of course, the increase of the Beyond the Heavens Empire’s military prowess with Rundalk’s addition was a bonus.

Rundalk immediately knelt and said, “Thank you! Thank you very much! I don’t know how I will ever be able to repay this favor! I will do my best to repay your kindness. No. At the very least, I will obey your commands!”

Minhyuk's winning over Rundalk’s heart and loyalty was worth more than the 4,000 fragments he had used. In fact, if put into perspective, it would probably be worth 700,000 fragments.

Minhyuk hurriedly helped Rundalk up. “Sir Rundalk, I think it would be better for you to refrain from doing that in front of Bellamy.”

‘Aaaah. He’s even this delicate!’

Rundalk struggled to keep his emotions in check. Just then, Minhyuk cleared his throat and whispered, “I already know your desire to repay the grace I have given you and you want to obey my commands. How about you do it differently? After all, you have Bellamy here with you.”

“A different way?”

“For example, treating me like family or something...”

When Rundalk heard those words, he asked, “How old are you this year?”

“I’m twenty-one years old this year.”

“If that’s the case, I will be your grandfather.”

“Then, does that mean I can call you Grandpa now?”

“Of course. Hahahahaha! It feels so nice to have such a wonderful grandson like you!” Rundalk laughed happily.

He was grateful that Minhyuk cared about him and his relationship with Bellamy. After they finished discussing how they would refer to each other, a notification rang in their ears.

[You will be sent out of Pandemonium.]

Once they returned to the Land of the Leaders, Minhyuk immediately introduced his new grandfather and gave him a position.

***

‘Fu-fufufufu...’

Minhyuk laughed to himself after giving Rundalk the position of the Sprout Academy’s director.

The truth was, Minhyuk’s vassals all held positions related to food or anything delicious. Of course, the same was true for Sprout Academy. The young children learning at Sprout Academy were talented people who were taught things like barista work, farming, fishing, cooking, and the like at a very early age.

If Supreme Rundalk were to teach these children, then he would be able to easily nurture and protect the young sprouts from being taken by the empires and kingdoms that coveted the children’s talents.

Thanks to Rundalk giving him the ‘Land of the Leaders Entry Scroll,’ he was able to postpone selecting the ability that he obtained from the candidates here until later.

‘I have to be very careful when choosing abilities.’

Because of the item that Rundalk gave him, he could now choose calmly and go back to receive whatever ability he wanted and needed.

Of course, Minhyuk also obtained another reward from Rundalk.

[The King of Destruction helps you grow the Fantastic-grade Ingredient once.]

[The Fantastic-grade Ingredient has now grown into a Phenomenal-grade Ingredient.]

Rundalk also told him he would give him one of his abilities once he returned with Minhyuk to the Beyond the Heavens Empire. Minhyuk’s new grandfather, Rundalk, was truly cool and very powerful.

“If you have any information about any delicious ingredient you have seen or heard when you were still on earth, relay that information to my grandson.”

“...?!” Minhyuk was shocked.

He watched as Rundalk handed a piece of paper to the candidates and told them to pass it on. And the candidates? They wrote on the paper one after another. Of course, there would probably be only a few left from those things since it has been a long time since they had been on Earth. However, what was certain was that Minhyuk could obtain great things from that information.

Minhyuk laughed happily as he held the paper they had given him as if he were being given a very important map of a treasure.

Now that all the quests had been completed, Minhyuk found it hard to stay in this place longer.

“Master, thank you,” Minhyuk said, hugging his dear master, Beradon.

Then, he turned to Rocado and said, “Herakel has found a very good friend and companion named Conir. So, please don’t worry too much about him.”

Rocado smiled and waved goodbye.

Not long after, Minhyuk, Rundalk, and Bellamy disappeared in a flash of light.

***

When he returned, Minhyuk was immediately briefed on the current happenings in the Beyond the Heavens Empire.

According to reports, the number of people migrating to the empire increased significantly after Minhyuk won first place in the Advanced Polls. However, when Minhyuk disappeared the moment the announcement about his win was released, rumors about how the other candidates killed him began to surface.

“The position for the Sprout Academy Director is still vacant, right?”

“Yes, that’s right. It’s because no one wants to be the Sprout Academy Director.”

Sprout Academy was only recently established. Most of the things one would learn in this place were related to cooking. And because the Beyond the Heavens Empire was a nation related to cooking and food, the Sprout Academy might be the empire's future.

Although it might look a bit shabby since the lessons were mostly related to cooking, the students there were children of the dukes, marquesses, counts, and even heroes.

“Then, let’s give that position to my grandfather. I brought him back this time. He’s actually...” Minhyuk began to explain about Rundalk’s story calmly.

When she heard about him, Haze was shocked. She said, “If it’s someone like him, then we’re very fortunate to have him take on the position.”

There was a reason the director's position had remained vacant. Most of the children studying in the academy came from high positions in the empire and were quite arrogant. Because of that, it would be very difficult for the director to reign them in.

“There’s something that I have to do,” Minhyuk said.

Haze went back to her office, thinking that Minhyuk would eat something delicious after he returned. Strangely, Minhyuk did not cook.

Minhyuk took out none other than the Supreme Treasure Box. He planned to eat a meal only after opening all five of the treasure boxes he had obtained.

‘According to the description, items that are not available in the slot might appear. Maybe...’

Minhyuk was feeling suffocated. He had overtaken the other candidates and took first place in the Advanced Polls. However, just thinking about how the other Pillar Candidates would do everything to put him in check was enough to make him feel heavy and overwhelming pressure.

He knew that he was infinitely lacking compared to the other Pillar Candidates. The only reason he could win first place, in the end, was because he borrowed others’ powers. They were nothing but a temporary boost to his force. That was why this Supreme was something that he was looking forward to.

‘Maybe it will help me break through this situation.’

Minhyuk suddenly chuckled to himself. It was just yesterday that he felt like he had the whole world in his hands after he temporarily reached the Supreme level, but now he was back to feeling shabby and insignificant.

He quickly shook off the depressing mood. Then, he reached out to open the first treasure box.

[You have opened the Supreme Treasure Box.]

Minhyuk’s eyes grew wide when he saw the contents of the box. Yes, it was just as the description. It was truly something that was not available in the slots.

[You have acquired the Socks worn by the God of the Supremes.]

“...?”

Minhyuk was dumbfounded. He almost threw it away in anger, but then he suddenly thought of checking the item.

‘Oh?’

It wasn’t an ordinary pair of socks. When Minhyuk checked its details, he discovered it could increase his defensive power by 200 and his STM by 0.3%. So, he slowly wore the socks on his feet.

Then, he opened another box.

[You have acquired 2 platinum.]

“...?”

Once again, it was not something that he could find in the slots.

[You have acquired 4 platinum.]

“...?”

‘What the hell? Is this some kind of magic that just doubles the amount that I initially acquired?’

[You have acquired 16 platinum.]

Minhyuk was rendered speechless.

It was very difficult to obtain one Asteroid Fragment, yet the only things he received from what he exchanged with those fragments were a pair of socks worn by the God of Supremes and 22 platinums. This shouldn’t be the case, right?

‘Please, I beg you! Just give me something delicious!’

If it was like this, Minhyuk should have exchanged his fragments for something else. Perhaps they would have been more valuable and helpful to him! Minhyuk grew anxious as he opened the last treasure box.

At that moment, a golden light burst from within the treasure box. Then, something slowly floated in front of him.

[You have acquired the Supreme Skill Creation Scroll.]

“...?!”

Just by hearing the name alone, Minhyuk could tell it was an amazing item—the greatest item he had acquired today!